Barnsdall Auto Road Map of Iowa

Wherever You Go – Whatever You Do – Be Square To Your Motor

This Depression-era road map of Iowa was created by the Rand McNally Company of Chicago on behalf of the Barnsdall Oil, billed as ‘The World’s First Refinery.’ Undated, but according to the printer’s code and the content presented, the year of issue is most likely 1932. A utilitarian image uses a matrix of five styles of lines presented in three different thicknesses – hardly distinguishable to the naked eye – to present information on local road conditions across The Hawkeye State. Ferries and airports are also noted, but the omission of the railway captures the transportation revolution that had occurred in the preceding decade. Various locations of interest are labeled, including state parks, historic sites, and educational institutions.